Prayer? Meditation? Something else?

[DeToxx]

I would say it's a combination of having children and escalating violence and other tragedies.

So you fear for the safety of your children , wish you could create a safer world... but see this as a task so great as to require divine intervention.


But prior to being a father you didn't worry about how safe society was.

Is that about right?

 

[in the]

Nothing wrong with prayer or evaluating long-held stances/beliefs. That's how people grow. If you are indeed sincere, I wish you the best.

 

[Bukowski82]

I went through a similar crisis myself. My search for peace led me here:

http://www.pareizticiba.lv/

Spoiler

Latvian Orthodox

You're Religious, Rex?

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

That's why religion works. When you are at your lowest or have a lot on your mind, religion and God offers an answer. It makes you think that something is bigger out there and will look over and protect you and the ones you love.

When do you ever see people that are well off or happy turn to religion? It's always people that are down in the dumps that have lost everything. It's their only way out.

TS should be smart enough to know it's a false sense of hope. I'd like to imagine I have a big dick but no matter how much I wish it, I can't make it true. It's best to accept reality and try to cope with it the best you can.

 

[hbdope]

So I'm a lifelong Aetheist, humble brag I know. But lately I've been finding myself more and more inclined to want to pray. I have two small children, 2 and 6 months, and with everything that's going on in the world between war torn countries, to natural distasters and even everything in between sometimes I feel the only outlet to free myself of some mental anguish is to close my eyes and pray for these people, mostly the children. On the opposite side of the coin I have two healthy children and I want to thank someone that I can afford to buy them food and take them to a doctor when they get a cold.

I don't trust people anymore to do the right thing, I don't trust our government to do the right thing, I feel like I need to reach the supernatural for solace. Im not interesting in going to church every week. Am I crazy? Is it okay to pray without believing in any Gods or religion?

Who do you want to pray to exactly and what do you expect to get out of it? I was raised in a Christian household my whole life but I'm not Christian because I don't follow religion but I still hold the moral teachings as something valuable.

It sounds like you want to pray to make yourself feel better but it won't change your external environment. Your positive thoughts (without action) will do nothing to change the world for the better. This is one reason why I left religion as there was more talk about doing rather than doing...I still volunteer and I have lived my life to help others. In my view, religion can easily be used for weak-willed people as a scapegoat for their problems. Religion puts an external factor (sin/Satan) as the cause of all their problems. People are unable to cope and refuse to see the world for what it is but fantasize/imagine a 'perfect' future thus relinquishing full control of their lives and full responsibility of their actions (not everyone but many).

 

[DeToxx]

When do you ever see people that are well off or happy turn to religion? It's always people that are down in the dumps that have lost everything. It's their only way out.
.

Happens all the time.

I think we can find plenty of examples with celebrities , but I think many of us can also think of people we know who are wealthy turn to a religion they had previously ignored.

It's not only out of desperation that people turn to religion , some do so because their life is spiritually empty.

 

[76Knockout]

Why would you reject fact and logic?

Read the holy books.

They are all filled with hate, genocide, homophobia, racism, sexism.

Not only are all religious beliefs scientifically inaccurate and absurd, they are insanely immoral.

Fear of death isn't a good reason to start praying, we live and die like all creatures. Humanity isn't special, go outside and take a look at the sky on a clear night.

Not trying to be a dick, religion just offends me to no end. My sister is a Christian who is very serious about it, i still respect and talk to her, and love her. But i disagree with everything she stands for.

Thousands of innocent children die every single day, horrible deaths. Many of their parents believe in some sort of god, and probably prayed for them to be saved. But their prayers weren't answered, moron's like to say this is god working in mysterious ways.

As Same Harris says, God either cannot prevent these horrible things (meaning he's inept), will not (meaning he's evil) or doesn't exist

Take your pick

 

[Bay Area]

I'm an atheist as well. I look at it like this - if there was a god, he wouldn't have let the world become what it is? People have done horrible things in the name of religion and god for thousands of years and no one was there for those on the other side.

There are laws to existence you know. Like for example, the law of free will? Do you like having free will? Or would you want some authority stopping you from doing things you want to do? Lets say for example, you wanted to fuck 3 willing women at once, but right when you are about to get started, some magical force stops you. People caused the world to be what it is, not God.

 

[Was Exiled]

Seeing as you have nothing specific to pray to would you be cool praying to me from now on? I can send you a few framed portraits of me that you and your family can worship and appease nightly before meals.


Or not.. it's whatever

 

[Fugazy]

I think that is the point of prayer - believing that there is someone out there who will answer your prayers and make the world better. You have to believe in that higher power, and if you don't, then who is going to answer your prayer?

I'm an atheist as well. I look at it like this - if there was a god, he wouldn't have let the world become what it is? People have done horrible things in the name of religion and god for thousands of years and no one was there for those on the other side.

If it makes you feel better, go for it. Go to a church and talk to some of the people there, and ask them why they are believers. If religion can do some good in the world (whether god is real or not) is that it can lead people to lead better lives and help other. But you can lead that life without religion.

If it works for you and makes you feel better, I say go for it.

I just want to ask you a question, because you made a commebt that I see so many athiests make:

"If God is real then why does all this fucked up stuff happen"

And variants of that^ point of view.

Also, I'm only asking this because that statement or type of statements indicates some sort of ponderance of the nature of God on your part or the part of those who make similar statements.

My question is, why does God have to be good or benevolent?

As long as we are working withing the context of there being a God, just for the sake of discussion here, why would we assume we could know the motivations of such a powerful force or entity?

I dont think I've stumped you, thus isn't a riddle. I just honestly want to know how the world being a shitty place full of shitty people is evidence for their not being a God.

I've asked a few athiests this same question but never gotten a straight answer.

 

[DeToxx]

There are laws to existence you know. Like for example, the law of free will? Do you like having free will? Or would you want some authority stopping you from doing things you want to do? Lets say for example, you wanted to fuck 3 willing women at once, but right when you are about to get started, some magical force stops you. People caused the world to be what it is, not God.

well this is just brilliant , thanks bro sage

 

[Hitman81]

So you fear for the safety of your children , wish you could create a safer world... but see this as a task so great as to require divine intervention.


But prior to being a father you didn't worry about how safe society was.

Is that about right?

I'd say your second statement is fairly accurate

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Try Buddhism.

In the following video, Alain De Botton explains the importance of Religion:

 

[MoparOrNoCar]

So I'm a lifelong Aetheist, humble brag I know. But lately I've been finding myself more and more inclined to want to pray. I have two small children, 2 and 6 months, and with everything that's going on in the world between war torn countries, to natural distasters and even everything in between sometimes I feel the only outlet to free myself of some mental anguish is to close my eyes and pray for these people, mostly the children. On the opposite side of the coin I have two healthy children and I want to thank someone that I can afford to buy them food and take them to a doctor when they get a cold.

I don't trust people anymore to do the right thing, I don't trust our government to do the right thing, I feel like I need to reach the supernatural for solace. Im not interesting in going to church every week. Am I crazy? Is it okay to pray without believing in any Gods or religion?

I give you your new religion

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Firs...Savior-Macho-Man-Randy-Savage/189343357785215

 

[Hitman81]

That's why religion works. When you are at your lowest or have a lot on your mind, religion and God offers an answer. It makes you think that something is bigger out there and will look over and protect you and the ones you love.

When do you ever see people that are well off or happy turn to religion? It's always people that are down in the dumps that have lost everything. It's their only way out.

TS should be smart enough to know it's a false sense of hope. I'd like to imagine I have a big dick but no matter how much I wish it, I can't make it true. It's best to accept reality and try to cope with it the best you can.

Well I can tell you I'm not down in the dumps. I have a good career and I have a happy family, I wouldn't ask for anything more.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

You're Religious, Rex?

Nah. It was for a woman.

Spoiler

[YT]SC_gchsYFrM[/YT]

 

[Snakesolidsnake]

There are laws to existence you know. Like for example, the law of free will? Do you like having free will? Or would you want some authority stopping you from doing things you want to do? Lets say for example, you wanted to fuck 3 willing women at once, but right when you are about to get started, some magical force stops you. People caused the world to be what it is, not God.

There are plenty of religious stories where a god intervened to protect his people. I kind of have a hard time believing one god would grant all of these miracles (just in the Christian bible - Jesus, Moses, Noah building the ark, etc,), then allowing all of the horrible things of the past century - holocaust, massive terror attacks, ISIS. While no one is truly innocent, there are plenty of prayers of believes that go unheard when god intervened a lot in the biblical days.

 

[hbdope]

Why would you reject fact and logic?

Read the holy books.

They are all filled with hate, genocide, homophobia, racism, sexism.

Not only are all religious beliefs scientifically inaccurate and absurd, they are insanely immoral.

Fear of death isn't a good reason to start praying, we live and die like all creatures. Humanity isn't special, go outside and take a look at the sky on a clear night.

Not trying to be a dick, religion just offends me to no end. My sister is a Christian who is very serious about it, i still respect and talk to her, and love her. But i disagree with everything she stands for.

Thousands of innocent children die every single day, horrible deaths. Many of their parents believe in some sort of god, and probably prayed for them to be saved. But their prayers weren't answered, moron's like to say this is god working in mysterious ways.

As Same Harris says, God either cannot prevent these horrible things (meaning he's inept), will not (meaning he's evil) or doesn't exist

Take your pick

People filled with hate will find hate in the materials they choose to immerse themselves with. The Bible doesn't brainwash people...people brainwash people. You point out that there is hate in the Bible but there is also love and acceptance in the Bible but you only pointed out the hate because it furthers your agenda. I've seen more truly selfless people inside the church than I have outside of the church. I'm talking about people who would give you their last dollar so you could have something instead of them. These are the foundations I set my moral principles on even though I don't practice religion, pray, or pronounce belief in Christ yet this is what I learned while I was there.

 

[Fugazy]

Not trying to be a dick, religion just offends me to no end. My sister is a Christian who is very serious about it, i still respect and talk to her, and love her. But i disagree with everything she stands for.

If she is a practicing modern and moderate Christian who stands by her faith from a place of honesty she is probably a decent person.

But you on the other hand disagree with everything she stands for just because she is a Christian.

You sound like a massive, judgemental asshole.

 

[76Knockout]

People filled with hate will find hate in the materials they choose to immerse themselves with. The Bible doesn't brainwash people...people brainwash people. You point out that there is hate in the Bible but there is also love and acceptance in the Bible but you only pointed out the hate because it furthers your agenda. I've seen more truly selfless people inside the church than I have outside of the church. I'm talking about people who would give you their last dollar so you could have something instead of them. These are the foundations I set my moral principles on even though I don't practice religion, pray, or pronounce belief in Christ yet this is what I learned while I was there.

God killed more people than anyone in human history.